Both Amir and Soraya were brought up by powerful,
overbearing yet loving fathers. Both Baba and General Taheri were important people in
Afghanistan, yet they were reduced to the world of the common man when they migrated to
America. Neither adapted well. Arriving in America virtually penniless, Baba was at
least willing to work, taking a job at a gas station and convenience store. The general
must have been able to take some of his money with him when he left his native land
since he never bothered to take a job. The two men enjoyed their time spent at the flea
market; both did it for extra cash, but the general considered it only a "hobby," not a
job.
Both of their children must have considered their
fathers as bullies. Baba considered Amir a weakling while in Kabul, but he mellowed
considerably in California, and Baba soon took pride in his son's accomplishments.
Soraya's sexual liaison with a boyfriend in Virginia ended when the general brought her
back home with him. He treated her as damaged goods, and it was primarily because of
Baba's past status in Afghanistan that caused him to accept Amir as a husband for his
daughter. However, once married, the general treated Amir well. While Baba's luck in
business never returned to him once he reached San Jose, the general's long wait finally
proved fruitful when he was invited to return following the fall of the
Taliban.
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